Substitute for fabrics, leather, furs, sponges, etc., from cocoons, and method of making same



are earns AUGUSTE DELUBAC', OF VALS-LES-BAINS, FRANCE.

SUBSTITUTE FOR FABRICS, LEATHER, FURS, SPONGES, ETC., FROM COCOONS, AND IEETI-IOD OF MAKING SAME.

No Drawing.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 17, 1920.

Patented Aug. 15, 1922.

Serial No. 404,253.

(GRANTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF THE ACT OF MARCH 3, 1921, 41 STAT. L, 1313.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, Aooos'rn DELUBAO, a citizen of the French Republic, residing at Vals-les-Bains, in the Department of Ardeche, and Stateoi France, have invented a Substitute for Fabrics, Leather, Furs,

Sponges, Etc, from Cocoons, and Method of purpose. The present invention enables the use of any kind of cocoon, either healthy, double or pierced, waste from reeling, or others, before or after scouring, dyeing, etc.

In order to obtain this new product, 00-

coons which have been used, for instance, cocoons which have been pierced by granulation, are used either as they are or open and are placed next to each other by overlapping or otherwise, and kept together by sewing, gluing or otherwise.

When the cocoons are used open, they may be brushed in order to remove the skins of chrysalides which adhere to them; when they are used entire the skins which they contain are removed by means of a hook.

They are flattened afterwards, after having been moistened, if necessary, by means of a mallet or a press and they may be felted or not, after which they are arranged horizontally one next to the other in one or several plies and their edges overlapping according to a predetermined arrangement such as, for instance, the tiles of a roof or the scales of a fish. I

These cocoons thus arranged are afterwards interconnected by means of sewing, gluing, riveting, etc.

The finished product may be varnished on one or both faces and it may also be rendered impervious to, water or 'fire proof.

The advantages of the new product are that it is varnished on one side and felted on the other side; thatit is very light, very warm and strong; it allows the passage of the air and of the perspiration through the holes of the sewing through the interstices resulting from the mode of assembling of the cocoon, and especially through the interstices between the threads next to each other of the cocoons which may be of their natural colour or dyed.

When, owing to an abundant perspiration, clothing made of the present product is wet, it is enough to turn it over, the outside part being always dry.

The present substitute of fabric or leather may act as a shock absorber when used in several plies and scoured in the form of cushions on pads, owing to its strength. It may even make an efiicient protection against bullets, and splinters. The result is still more so especially if various plies are combined with plates of metal or others.

It is obvious that the new product may have various applications and the processes for its manufacture may be varied without departing from the spirit of the invention.

One of the advantages of this product obtained with scoured cocoons is that it is as spongy as sponge and that it has its absorbing capacity.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be per formed, I declare that what I claim is lfThe new fabric herein described consisting of silkworm cocoons or the like flattened out and attached together at their edges.

2. The new fabric herein described consisting of silkworm cocoons or the like flattened out and attached together at their edges," said fabric being varnished on one side and felted on the other.-

3. The method herein described for producing a fabric, consisting in flattening out the cocoons of caterpillars, cleaning the fiattened cocoons, attaching the flattened cocoons together at their edges to form a fabric and then varnishing the fabric.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in presence oftwo witnesses.

AUGUSTE .DELUBAC.

Witnesses:

SoULonoIn MANN, Roy LnoPoLre. 

